Omaha daily bee., 1887-08-05
OPINIONS FROM ALL SIDES.
Comments Of Leading New York Journals
on Curtis Speech.
A CAUTION FROM THE TIMES
The Tribune Thinks the Mugwumps
Arc Getting Ready to Desert the
Cleveland Ship - Facts
Frankly Admitted.
Leaders on Curtis.

New YORK, August i.-[Spec | al Tele-
gram to the BEE. In concluding its edi-
torlal on the address OF hr. George William
Curtis before the National Civil Service
league the Times SAYS: "When all allow.
ance has been made for the president on ac-
count of the difficulties of his task and the
tremendous pressure of politicians activity
and party inertia, it would be well If he
could be induced to reflect upon the sources
of his strength What carried him to his
present position was not yielding to party
pressure, but resisting it; not seeking to ad-
vance his own interest, the eXpedients of
practical politicians, but relying confident
ially for support on an honest, courageous
and faithful performance of public duty.
This made him stronger than his party and
advanced him to his present place. So far as
he has continued to display the same quail
ties, he has maintained and increased his
strength with the people. and wherever he
has lapsed from lirmness and energetic self
assertion, he has suffered a loss in that popu-
lar esteem which makes him necessary to his
party and the politicians OF his party neces-
sary to him. If anything should destroy his
splendid chances for further service to the
nation it would be the yielding of his per-
sonal sense of right and his staunch adher-
ence To principle to the derelict demands Of
party eXpediency.
The tribune says: Are mugwumpS getting
ready to desert the Cleveland ship? 1t GER
tainly looks so, and Judging from the speech
which George William Curtis delivered at
Newport yesterday he will be the first man OF
the contingent to retreat over the gang plank.
Such Is the verdict of the head and front of
the mugwumps upon Mr.. Cleveland, now
that he has been president two years and five
months. This interesting band OF reformers
will hang their heads and array themselves
In penitental sackcloth as they reflect upon
what sort of man it is, on their own confess
sion, that they helped to place in the white
house. In supporting Cleveland in 1884 they
were not to be understood as supporting the
democratic party. That was the remarkable
JUNCTION which they laid to their souls. They
have at length discovered-Mr. Curtis GER
tainly has-that the whole is greater than one
of its parts-that the dog wags the tail, not
the tail the dog; that the democratic party
controls Cleveland, not Cleveland the demo
cratic party"
The Sun says: "As between George Will
lam Curtis, mugwumps, and a large number
Of democrats, 1t must be said that Mr.. Curtis
shows n greater disposition to tell the truth -
The World says: "'The frank admission of
facts long ignored by the mugwump support
ers of the president Is directly in line with
what the World has been saying for q long
time past. The president has been a re-
former in words chiefly. The very general
partisan reconstruction Of Its service has con.
talned the precedent under which the repub.
licans would again seiZe the Offices upon q
change in the administration. Ii the reform
ers had been earlier with their criticism, and
that they would have less ground now fol
iisapnpIpt ~